It’s football time! The Carolina Panthers and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers start their seasons with an NFC South showdown that will be an interesting litmus test for both teams.
The Bucs were the division’s doormats last season, while the Panthers dominated. However, the Bucs will be confident heading into their season opener having improved over the offseason. On the other hand, the Panthers have deteriorated and are almost starting from scratch.
Check our 2014-2015 NFL preview for an in-depth overview of the season ahead and read on for everything you need to know as the Panthers take to Raymond James Stadium against the Buccaneers.
[sc:Football ]Carolina Panthers vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers Betting Preview and Prediction
Where: Raymond James Stadium, Tampa Bay
When: Sunday, September 7, 4:25 PM ET
Line: Carolina Panthers (-1) at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (+1); total 40.0 – view all NFL lines
Betting on the Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers are due for a slow start this season as they are fielding a relatively new cast of wide receivers and some positional changes in their offensive line. They will likely lack team chemistry early and it showed in a 30-7 loss to the New England Patriots on August 22 in Week 3 of the preseason, a game in which their starters played most of the game.
[sc:NFL240banner ]Starting quarterback Cam Newton played until his first series of the third quarter and finished 8 for 12 for 88 yards. Newton failed to deliver a touchdown drive as all five of his possessions ended in punts. The Panthers were outgained 405-271 in total yards.
One of the Panthers’ key acquisitions in the offseason, wide receiver Jerricho Cotchery, was quiet in the preseason. He only had one reception for eight yards on three targets in three games.
On the other hand, the Panthers’ first-round draft pick (28th overall) Kelvin Benjamin made some noise with eight catches for 107 yards (averaging 13.38 yards per reception) and a touchdown on 12 targets. If there’s a go-to guy for Newton’s passes, it’s going to be Benjamin.
Even more concerning for the Panthers is the state of their offensive line. Former right tackle Bryon Bell is now defending Newton’s blind side while former defensive lineman Nate Chandler fills in at right tackle. Those changes resulted in a horrendous performance by the unit in the preseason, as they constantly left their QBs open to their opponents’ defense. In three preseason games, Carolina QBs were sacked a total of 10 times (three on their starter, Newton).
The Panthers will need more than a few pieces to fall in place if they wish to start their season on a good note. Nevertheless, Carolina is 7-3 SU in its last 10 road games. Furthermore, the total has gone under in 10 of the Panthers 13 games in the NFC.
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Betting on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
If there’s a time to strike against the defending NFC South champion Panthers, this is it. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are the lucky team to have the first crack at Carolina, giving them the perfect opportunity to record a win in their first regular season game in front of their home fans.
The Bucs didn’t have a stellar preseason, losing their first two games. Yet, they won when it mattered the most in Week 3 against the Buffalo Bills on August 23.
Starting QB Josh McCown completed 13 of 16 passes for 112 yards and a TD against the Bills. Meanwhile, WRs Vincent Jackson and Mike Evans did well. The rookie Evans, in particular, impressively caught five passes for 96 yards and a TD on seven targets. After averaging 19.2 yards per reception, he’s shown that he can be a dependable receiver even on deep passes.
With the passing offense in-tune for the third preseason game, it’s clear that new head coach Lovie Smith brought over some of his magic from his time with the Chicago Bears.
However, the new Tampa Bay offensive coordinator Jeff Tedford’s work in giving the Bucs a dynamic running attack still hasn’t paid off. Running back Doug Martin only had 68 yards on 21 carries, averaging just 3.24 yards per attempt.
Defensively, the Bucs’ unit got after the Bills. They recorded five sacks on Buffalo’s QBs, four on starter EJ Manuel. The Bucs will have a good chance to record a few more sacks against the mess of an O-line the Panthers currently have.
The Bucs were 6-10 ATS in the 2013 regular season, and just 1-4 SU in their last five games as home underdogs.
Writer’s Prediction
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers (+1) make a strong start to their 2014 season. Expect them to hold on to a comfortable lead for a win against the Carolina Panthers and signal the beginning of the end of the Panthers’ reign in this division.
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